Alternator conversion wiring confirmation

GaryFranks Learner Dubber

15 posts · joined Nov 2009 · 26 Apr 2010, 12:04 pm

#775176

Hi Folks, I'm installing an alternator into my 1971 beetle and just want to confirm the wiring before I connect the battery.

The car originally had a generator, and some wag had moved the regulator into the engine bay. I'm intending to move the regulator back under the seat where it belongs.

I have attached a diagram of how I think the wiring should look.

- Will the old regulator be OK with the alternator?
- Do I need to run a new red wire from D+ on the regulator to d+ on the alternator?
- Does the B+ red/white wire go straight to the battery, or should it also connect to the B+ on the regulator?

ian.mezz I never said, I could write or spell

3,913 posts · joined Sep 2004 · 26 Apr 2010, 12:26 pm

#775177

a lot of alternators have built in regulators

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car forums. where a lot of peoples good intentions end up taking a good old car off the road forever never ever to see the road again. 🥲

Uber Kafer Wolfsburg Wizard

414 posts · joined Nov 2009 · 26 Apr 2010, 6:54 pm

#775235

I have one of those alternators, its Bosch and rated at 50 amps if I can read the nameplate details correctly. The regulator was mounted under the seat but it is a different style, and possibly unique to that alternator. the bosch model number is 0 109 600 015. and vw number is 043 903 803A. It only has 3 wires to it:
Brown D-
Red D+
Green Df
The large red/white wire didnt connect to the reg as it was was jumpered through to the battery and fuse box via a large spade multi-connector at the location of the Regulator.

The Samba website has a bunch of wiring diagrams for beetles listed by model and year, you may get more info there.

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 26 Apr 2010, 7:05 pm

#775239

alternators use a totally different regulator to a generator so you will have to swap it
have you got a 3 terminal alt like in the diagram?
with those ones you can just get a 2 terminal regulator out of any 70s holden that will do the job if a vw one cant be found

GaryFranks Learner Dubber

15 posts · joined Nov 2009 · 26 Apr 2010, 7:27 pm

#775243

Thanks guys. It's a 3 terminal alternator, so it looks like I need to find a correct regulator.

ian.mezz I never said, I could write or spell

3,913 posts · joined Sep 2004 · 26 Apr 2010, 8:19 pm

#775250

😂🤪😂🤪😂
car forums. where a lot of peoples good intentions end up taking a good old car off the road forever never ever to see the road again. 🥲

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 26 Apr 2010, 9:40 pm

#775274

GaryFranks wrote:Hi Folks, I'm installing an alternator into my 1971 beetle and just want to confirm the wiring before I connect the battery.

The car originally had a generator, and some wag had moved the regulator into the engine bay. I'm intending to move the regulator back under the seat where it belongs.

I have attached a diagram of how I think the wiring should look.

- Will the old regulator be OK with the alternator?
- Do I need to run a new red wire from D+ on the regulator to d+ on the alternator?
- Does the B+ red/white wire go straight to the battery, or should it also connect to the B+ on the regulator?

Nice diagram...

You need an alternator solid state regulator..

the generator regulator won't work with an alternator...

Sorry I don't have any pics...

Mine has an internal Regulator...

LEE

check out:- http://www.vw-resource.com
Rob & Dave's website....

--

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

jjwebb123 Wolfsburg Wizard

617 posts · joined Aug 2009 · 16 Oct 2010, 3:01 pm

#807919

sorry to hijack.
but what about alternators with inbuilt regulator,how do you
by pass the already installed reg?(underseat)

"A car for the people, an affordable Volkswagen, would bring great joy to the masses and the problems of building such a car must be faced with courage."
Adolf Hitler At opening of 1934 Berlin Auto Show

1303Steve Scirocco Rare

8,650 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 16 Oct 2010, 5:56 pm

#807940

jjwebb123 wrote:sorry to hijack.
but what about alternators with inbuilt regulator,how do you
by pass the already installed reg?(underseat)

Hi

You need to join the 2 thick red wires on the generator regulator, this will join the battery to the alternator + using the thick red wire that bolts to the post on the alternator.

The small blue wire for the idiot light on the generator regulator need to be connected to the idiot light on the alternator, you can use one of the left over wires that connected the generator regulator to the generator.

VW did a smart thing with wiring to the generator so that the wires were not mixed up on the terminal on the passengers side of the generator, bolts on with fully round terminals, the one on the drivers side has a slide in connector.

The fully round connector will be your new + back to the battery, the slip connector can now be your idiot light connection.

Steve

PS Gary, you can get a generic voltage reg to suit your alternator.

jjwebb123 Wolfsburg Wizard

617 posts · joined Aug 2009 · 16 Oct 2010, 7:33 pm

#807951

bit confusing.
there are only three terminals on my alternator.ground, df and d+,and another one.
idiot light on the alternator?
If anyone has had experiences with inbuilt reg alternators please pm me asap.

"A car for the people, an affordable Volkswagen, would bring great joy to the masses and the problems of building such a car must be faced with courage."
Adolf Hitler At opening of 1934 Berlin Auto Show

68AutoBug Beetle Restorer - Experience over 138\% - YIKES --

11,654 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 16 Oct 2010, 10:35 pm

#807981

jjwebb123 wrote:bit confusing.
there are only three terminals on my alternator.ground, df and d+,and another one.
idiot light on the alternator?
If anyone has had experiences with inbuilt reg alternators please pm me asap.

Hi Jason,

I've sent You a PM on info on internal regulated alternator....
which only has two terminals...
main B+ to the battery
and the small wire to the alternator charging lamp in the speedo.

this lamp MUST work for the alternator to work.....

cheers

LEE

- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---

pod i`ve got to finish this thing one day

4,980 posts · joined Dec 2003 · 16 Oct 2010, 11:52 pm

#807986

meetings 1st sunday of the month
check wbsite for location
All Welcome
http://www.flatfour.org/
and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FlatFour

pod i`ve got to finish this thing one day

4,980 posts · joined Dec 2003 · 16 Oct 2010, 11:54 pm

#807987

meetings 1st sunday of the month
check wbsite for location
All Welcome
http://www.flatfour.org/
and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FlatFour

jjwebb123 Wolfsburg Wizard

617 posts · joined Aug 2009 · 17 Oct 2010, 6:43 am

#807992

thanks.
lee didnt get any pm from you mate,not sure what is going on there.
thats wicked pod thanks so much.no chance of getting them a tad bigger ay?
~Jas~

"A car for the people, an affordable Volkswagen, would bring great joy to the masses and the problems of building such a car must be faced with courage."
Adolf Hitler At opening of 1934 Berlin Auto Show

vlad01 Compulsive Aussie Vee Dubber

4,270 posts · joined Jun 2010 · 17 Oct 2010, 8:43 am

#808006

Joel wrote:alternators use a totally different regulator to a generator so you will have to swap it
have you got a 3 terminal alt like in the diagram?
with those ones you can just get a 2 terminal regulator out of any 70s holden that will do the job if a vw one cant be found

Correct, the 2 regulators work on very different parameters and are not interchangeable.

71 notchback,
Past owner of, 70 NB, 73 SB and 72 FB TLE

jjwebb123 Wolfsburg Wizard

617 posts · joined Aug 2009 · 17 Oct 2010, 10:31 am

#808017

do you have to touch the starter at all.
i see some people do.why?

"A car for the people, an affordable Volkswagen, would bring great joy to the masses and the problems of building such a car must be faced with courage."
Adolf Hitler At opening of 1934 Berlin Auto Show

krisko Officially Full-On Dubber

327 posts · joined Feb 2009 · 11 Feb 2015, 5:15 pm

#1008256

just found this post while trying to fit a beetle alternator in my kombi

purchased a bosch RE57 three pin solid state regulator and the wiring was very straight forward

-thin red from alternator plug to D+ on reg and piggyback to dash light (blue wire on old reg)

-green from alt plug to DF on reg

Brown from alt plug to D- on reg

B+ large feed from alternator straight to Battery

(rip out old wires from regulator to generator and from old reg to battery 😎)

the 2 pin solid state reg mentioned in the above posts is the Bosch RE55 - its the same as the 3 pin but doesn't have the earth as i understand it.

hope this helps somebody along the line somewhere- had me scratching my head for a while

grumble Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,672 posts · joined Jun 2008 · 11 Feb 2015, 7:36 pm

#1008262

RE57 is the one also used on 2 litre kombi s